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Does ultrasound always show pregnancy. Why is pregnancy not visible on ultrasound? And the test is positive. Ultrasound and Additional tests and tests to determine if you are pregnant with a delay

Already by 6-8 weeks, the fertilized egg becomes embedded in the wall of the uterus. The length of the formed embryo is very small - it can be about 2-4 mm. The size of a fetal egg is like a slightly bent grain of rice. The makings of arms and legs appear, they are like tiny processes that separate from the calf.

Pregnancy can be determined by ultrasound by 2-3 weeks of the obstetric period. Already from this period, the doctor, thanks to the diagnosis, can:

  • Determine the presence of the embryo;
  • Set the number of fruits;
  • Notice an ectopic pregnancy.

The doctor is able to determine the heartbeat only after 4 weeks. At such an early stage, the examination is prescribed for pregnant women only in exceptional cases:

  • Bleeding;
  • Pain;
  • Other complaints of the patient.

Ultrasound in early pregnancy

Ultrasound examination must be done at an early stage. It is contraindicated for expectant mothers to worry, especially about the negative impact of the examination on the unborn baby. There is no effect (experts have not proven the negative effect of ultrasound on the fetus). Not a single study has confirmed the fact that ultrasound harms the development of the child.

Also, expectant mothers are interested in the question: “Are there cases when ultrasound does not show pregnancy? How often do such mistakes occur in the early stages? Is ultrasound wrong when determining the gestational age? These are quite common questions. We will try to give the most detailed answer.

To whom and why is ultrasound recommended during early pregnancy?

Usually, gynecologists prescribe early ultrasound diagnosis to a certain circle of women. These include:

  • Women with problems that have manifested themselves during the period of the previous bearing of the child;
  • The presence of a threat of termination of pregnancy;
  • Complaints of the patient, including the manifestation of periodic stretching, pain in the lower abdomen;
  • Assumption of ectopic pregnancy;
  • Blood secretions.

If doctors have not identified such suspicions in expectant mothers, then an ultrasound examination may not be prescribed so early.

The expectant mother will have to undergo a mandatory planned ultrasound of the first trimester as prescribed by the gynecologist. Its experts appoint during the 11-12th week of bearing a child. The main goals of diagnostics are to confirm the presence of a fertilized egg, as well as to assess the compliance of the development of the fetus with the established stage.

Ultrasound did not determine pregnancy, why?

Ultrasound of the initial stage allows for an accurate diagnosis of the location of the embryo. If it shows a location in the uterus, the pregnant woman may not worry about anything. There are times when an ultrasound cannot show the presence of a fetal egg, although, according to the tests in the woman's body, there is a high level of hCG and the test is positive. What is the reason? Can an ultrasound be wrong?

This result of the diagnostic method alarms doctors. The absence of a fertilized egg can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. The embryo is usually detected from the 5th obstetric week. Doctors do not recommend early diagnosis for pregnant women, in order to avoid misdiagnosis.

Usually, in the short term, women want to determine the presence of pregnancy when it is unwanted. The doctor can interrupt it by means of medications only at the initial stage. If the doctor did not find a fetal egg in the uterus (with a positive test result), then the woman will not be able to be referred for an abortion or registered.

If the ultrasound did not determine pregnancy (with a positive test result), the specialist recommends that the woman repeat the examination, but after 2 weeks. Perhaps the embryo is so small that the equipment cannot show it.

The presence of an embryo is not determined by ultrasound diagnostics in the early stages for several reasons:

  • Too early. At the first stages, it is difficult for a specialist to distinguish a fetal egg from uterine polyps;
  • Swelling of the uterine mucosa due to the progression of any kind of inflammatory processes;
  • outdated equipment;
  • Irregular shape of a woman's uterus;
  • Lack of practice with a sonologist. He may make a mistake in the diagnosis.

Is the ultrasound time wrong?

A gynecologist prescribes a planned ultrasound examination for a pregnant woman by 11-12 weeks. It is this examination of the first trimester that the doctor needs to confirm the presence of a fetal egg. Even at this time, the embryo is so small that ultrasound can make a mistake in diagnosing the position of a woman. There are cases when doctors confused a hematoma or polyps with an embryo.

Up to 8 weeks, experts determine the gestational age by measuring the length of the embryo. Until this stage, the development of all fetal eggs occurs in the same way. With such a period of development, ultrasound can show the exact period plus or minus 1-2 days.

There are cases when the diagnosis shows a period longer than obstetric. There is an explanation - perhaps the last discharge of blood, taken by a woman for the next menstruation, was a minor bleeding. Thus, for some time a woman does not even know about her position.

When determining the term, experts allow a difference between the terms (obstetric and delivered using ultrasound diagnostics) of about 2 weeks.

There are cases when ultrasound shows a period less than obstetric. Perhaps this is the norm, and perhaps a deviation in the development of the embryo. In such cases, the specialist prescribes either Dopplerography or repeated ultrasound diagnosis. Doppler examination will help to exclude oxygen starvation of the embryo.

The obstetrician-gynecologist treating you with such a difference in time can offer you:

  • Re-examined after a while;
  • Consult with another specialist;
  • Recommend hospitalization.

In addition to the fact that an ultrasound examination may not see the pregnancy at the initial stage, it can make an error in determining the sex of the child and the term. The term error is explained by the individual size of the uterus of each woman. If an error is allowed, then the deviation becomes about two weeks.

Transvaginal ultrasound during pregnancy

By means of an ultrasound examination carried out in the early period, a specialist will be able to see the embryo by the 5th day after the delay. But such a gestational age can only be determined with the help of a transvaginal examination. Thanks to a special sensor, the presence of a fertilized egg, its localization, and the period of development are determined.

When viewed with a sensor during a transvaginal examination, a specialist can determine the ectopic implantation of the embryo in the period of 10-12 days from conception. Do not be afraid of an examination performed using a vaginal probe. The threat to your baby can only be if the pregnant woman has periodic bloody discharge, spotting.

Ultrasounds of early pregnancy sometimes need to be done, despite the fear of negative effects of ultrasound on the baby. By the way, this fact has not been confirmed by any study. Why might such an examination be needed, and can ultrasound not show early pregnancy, do mistakes happen?

As a rule, an ultrasound examination in the first weeks after a probable conception is prescribed for women who have had any problems with the onset of pregnancy (for example, with IVF) or if any problems are suspected. This is an ectopic pregnancy, and frozen, and a miscarriage.

Early ultrasound allows you to accurately diagnose the location of the fetal egg. If it's in the uterus, don't worry. But if a woman has a positive pregnancy test, a high level of hCG, but there is nothing in the uterus, this can be alarming ... But not always. Usually, pregnancy is detected at a period of approximately 5 obstetric weeks (this is 1 week of delayed menstruation), provided that the hCG level is at least 1000. And this is at best, with a good device and an experienced ultrasound doctor. It is better to perform the first ultrasound during pregnancy at 2 weeks of delay, if there is no great urgency. Urgency may be in case of unwillingness to leave the child, the desire to terminate the pregnancy with medication, which is possible and effective only in the very early stages of pregnancy. But without the discovery of a fetal egg, no one will send a woman for an abortion, just as they will not register for pregnancy.

In addition to the presence of a fetal egg, an increase in the level of hCG, there are other ultrasound signs of an interesting situation. These are changes in the endometrium at the cellular level, its thickness is about 25 mm, as well as a large corpus luteum. Although in some cases, with insufficient size, the corpus luteum may not be visualized. This is considered one of the signs of the threat of spontaneous abortion, as the corpus luteum produces progesterone, the hormone necessary for the development of the fetal egg, after which the placenta takes over this function.

It should be noted that ultrasound in the early stages of pregnancy, performed by transvaginal access, always gives more accurate results. And for women it is more convenient, since preparation for the examination in the form of filling the bladder is not required. An ultrasound performed using a vaginal probe does not in any way provoke a miscarriage.

Another important point - ultrasound in the very first weeks of pregnancy allows you to literally determine the gestational age and calculate the expected date of birth, literally up to the day. Calculations based on the first day of the last menstruation do not make it possible to determine the age of the embryo and the date of birth so accurately. It should be noted that ultrasound examinations in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy no longer guarantee such accuracy, since at such times children develop very individually (at one time they may have different height, weight, limb length, etc.).

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It turns out that our life can present absolutely any surprise. That is why we must believe in magic and hope for the best. Often, when it comes to diagnosing pregnancy, it is recommended not only to repeat the test, but also an ultrasound examination, which reveals the presence of a fetal egg and its place of attachment. But ultrasound can not always accurately determine pregnancy.

And there are many such cases! On the Internet, you can find a lot of stories about how at a period of 8, 11, and sometimes 13 weeks of pregnancy, a specialist could not recognize the presence of a fetus in the uterine cavity. And this is when the child's heart is already formed and functioning. Women talk about how easily they endured and revealed their children to the light. It is worth saying that many of them had to go through recommendations for abortion and removal of the fallopian tube, suspecting an ectopic pregnancy. It is sad to admit it, but precisely because of such mistakes, many children were not born.

Of course, a lot happens, the fetal egg may not reach the uterus or die. But, before coming to such a conclusion, it is worth checking everything! Why can't ultrasound detect pregnancy? The latest equipment can facilitate the diagnosis of pregnancy and its subsequent management. The commissioning of ultrasound machines has greatly facilitated the work of gynecologists and the lives of their patients. But, under human control, technology can give erroneous results.

Modern ultrasound diagnostics is the most reliable method for determining pregnancy. But that doesn't mean you can trust her 100%. The results of the study directly depend on how experienced and qualified the specialist conducts the study. It often happens that the fetus is mistaken for uterine fibroids, or even nothing is found at all, even if the size of the fetus corresponds to more than 4, and sometimes more than 8 weeks. Erroneous results can also be associated with the age of the equipment.

In this case, it is impossible to determine the presence of a fetal egg in the early stages. In fact, the period at which ultrasound diagnostics is performed plays a huge role. Experts say that earlier than after 10 days of delayed menstruation, going to an ultrasound scan is pointless. Too early a term may cause the test to not confirm pregnancy. In addition, the fetal egg may go unnoticed due to the special anatomical structure or shape of the woman's uterus. Here pregnancy is determined later.

What if the ultrasound did not detect pregnancy? Don't trust anyone! No matter how hard it is, don't beat yourself up. Because miracles happen. You can't be sure: is it a lack of pregnancy or a diagnostic error? Refuse cleaning, even if the doctor insists on an intrauterine or missed pregnancy. Remember, ultrasound diagnosis is not the only method for determining pregnancy and is far from the most accurate.

To be sure, it is worth conducting another 1-2 ultrasounds, and with different diagnosticians. The most reliable is transvaginal ultrasound during pregnancy. The most accurate method is the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) blood test, which is by far the most accurate. But, even here you can not be 100% sure. Laboratory assistants are people who, like us, sometimes make mistakes. Therefore, this analysis should be repeated twice.

Author of the publication: Alexey Kulagin

Many young couples have been trying to conceive for a long time. Women closely monitor their cycle, trying to guess the most suitable time to conceive, measure basal temperature and use other methods of pregnancy. For such people, the long-awaited two strips on the test is a great joy. However, having come to the gynecologist for an examination and undergoing an ultrasound examination, a woman is sometimes told that there is no pregnancy. Why is such a discrepancy possible? What to do in this case?

How to determine pregnancy early?

Many women assume that pregnancy is due to the absence of menstruation. This is the very first sign of conception, but it is not accurate. Failure in the menstrual cycle can occur for reasons not related to pregnancy. These include:

  • hormonal disorders;
  • taking medications;
  • stressful situations;
  • changing climatic conditions;
  • the presence of a tumor.


In the early stages of pregnancy, in addition to the absence of menstruation, women note aching pain in the lower abdomen, breast swelling and high sensitivity of the nipples. In addition, the general state of health changes, weakness and drowsiness, nervousness, nausea and vomiting appear. These signs are indirect and do not guarantee pregnancy.

The easiest way is a pregnancy test, which is carried out at home. It can be purchased at any pharmacy. For an accurate result, you must check the expiration date and strictly follow the instructions. The test involves lowering a special stick into a container with morning urine. With a positive result, the indicator should show 2 bright red stripes, with a negative one - one.

The essence of the test is simple. It lies in the sensitivity of the test strip to the hCG hormone. With its increase, the indicator coloring occurs, which is immediately visible. It is worth noting that the increase in hCG occurs immediately after the attachment of a fertilized egg to the wall of the uterus. If you conduct a test in the first days of a missed period, it may show a false negative result.

A blood test for hCG allows you to detect the presence of pregnancy at an earlier date. This is because the hormone in the blood appears and grows much faster than in the urine.

You can take an analysis from a vein on the 3-5th day of a delay in menstruation. If, during a second study, the level of the hormone increased several times, this indicates conception.

If 2 strips are found on the test, a woman needs to visit a gynecologist. The doctor determines the development of the fetus from the fourth week of being in position. Main features:

  • discoloration of the external genitalia (they become darker due to increased blood flow);
  • change in the shape of the uterus (during pregnancy it is round, its walls soften);
  • increase in the excitability of the organ;
  • asymmetry of the uterus (the organ increases from the side of attachment of the egg);
  • loose neck.

The test is positive, but the fetal egg is not visible on the ultrasound - why can this be so?

Ultrasound is the most accurate way to determine pregnancy. An experienced specialist can detect a fetal egg on the 3-5th day of a delay in menstruation. There are several ways to conduct a survey. When conducting an ultrasound through the abdomen, the woman lies on her back, a special sensor is passed over her abdomen. The image is displayed on the monitor. The most accurate is the transvaginal method. In this case, the sensor is inserted through the woman's vagina.


There are cases when the test shows the presence of pregnancy, but the specialist during the examination claims that there is no fetal egg. If at the same time the level of hCG is constantly rising, the discrepancies may be due to a malfunction of the devices. Some clinics use an old technique that has a very low resolution. In pictures of this quality, it is difficult to determine pregnancy at an early stage, since the size of the fetal egg reaches no more than two mm. The accuracy of ultrasound is influenced by the professionalism and experience of the doctor.

Other reasons for the absence of a fetal egg with a positive test:

  • Small gestation period. When pregnancy is less than 4 weeks, the embryo on the device looks like a small (several millimeters) neoplasm. It is almost impossible to distinguish it from a polyp or uterine fold.
  • Edema of the uterus. In this case, the swelling of the inner wall of the uterus does not allow to detect the embryo, regardless of the quality of the device.
  • The shape of the uterus is incorrectly defined.
  • Ectopic pregnancy. If the egg is attached to the fallopian tubes, not reaching the organ itself, the embryo begins to develop in a pathological place. To exclude this condition, it is necessary to conduct an additional examination.
  • The development of pathologies of internal organs or tumors. Some diseases cause an increase in the hCG hormone.
  • Development freeze. There are times when, after a home test, the embryo stops developing. After a short period of time, a woman begins to have brown discharge.


What week is ultrasound informative?

Do not go for an ultrasound at the first suspicion of pregnancy. This method is accurate, but it is possible to see the embryo only after 14 days of delayed menstruation. It is possible to detect pregnancy at such an early stage only with the help of transvaginal ultrasound. It is performed with an empty bladder.

The accuracy of the result is affected by the place of attachment of the fetal egg and the anatomical features of the structure of the female genital organs. If the embryo is fixed on the back wall of the uterus, it is almost impossible to see it at an early stage even with modern equipment. With bends of the cervix, visualization is also significantly more difficult.

The impossibility of determining pregnancy at an earlier date is explained by the fact that in the first 5-7 days after fertilization, the egg moves through the fallopian tubes into the uterine cavity and attaches to one of its walls. Embryo growth begins. On the 14th day, germ layers appear, by the presence of which a specialist can distinguish an embryo from other neoplasms. At the 8th week of development, you can hear the fetal heartbeat. At the 13th week - to determine its gender.

Experts recommend performing ultrasound not earlier than 8 weeks of pregnancy in the absence of indications. An urgent examination is prescribed if a frozen or ectopic pregnancy is suspected and in the presence of blood discharge. In other cases, diagnosis in the first weeks and days of the life of the embryo often turns out to be false negative, in addition, it does not have a beneficial effect on the condition of the fetus and woman. If you do not do an ultrasound before this time, nothing terrible can happen to the embryo.


At a period of 8 weeks, during an ultrasound scan, anembryony can be detected. At the same time, there is a fetal egg in the uterus, which does not develop due to the absence of an embryo in it. There is only a shell. Pathology can only be detected by ultrasound, while the test shows a positive result.

What to do if the tests are positive, but the pregnancy is not visible on the ultrasound?

Women who are faced with the problem of the absence of a fetal egg during ultrasound behavior, when tests stubbornly show a positive result, first of all need to calm down. If at the same time other symptoms of pregnancy appear, such as nausea, lethargy, swelling of the mammary glands, the approximate gestational age should be calculated. To do this, remember the days of ovulation and unprotected sex.

Most often, the specialist does not see the embryo at a short gestational age. A woman needs to be patient and wait for the eighth week of pregnancy. During this period, the diagnosis is more accurate. As a prevention of complications, one should reduce emotional stress, stop taking medications and bad habits. If you need to know the result urgently, you should donate blood to the level of hCG and monitor its growth.

In the case when the tests were initially positive, then the result changed to negative and at the same time the level of the hormone in the blood decreased, it is urgent to consult a gynecologist and exclude the presence of an ectopic pregnancy. This condition is dangerous for a woman's health.

If in the early stages of pregnancy, according to the results of an ultrasound scan, a frozen pregnancy is detected, do not rush into action. Even experienced specialists can make mistakes, so before cleaning, you should undergo a second ultrasound in another clinic using better equipment.